Families

Summer reading and writing camps for kids and teens will be offered this summer at Dog Ears Bookstore & The Enlightenment Literacy Arts Center, located at 688 Abbott Road, Buffalo.

A free Summer Reading & Writing Camp for Kids begins on June 26. Sponsored by South District Councilman Chris Scanlon, this camp will feature reading and writing activities, games and more, with all activities aligned with Common Core and New York State Standards in Education. Participants must reside in Councilman Scanlon’s district (14220, 14210, 14206).

Held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, this camp will be offered from June 26 through June 30 for 7 and 8 year olds, July 17-21 for students ages 9 to 11, and July 10-14 for students ages 12 and 13.

South Buffalo Alive’s 17th annual Garden Tour, showcasing approximately 50 beautiful properties throughout South Buffalo and the Old First Ward neighborhood, will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 16.

“The Garden Tour includes a wide variety of homes and businesses showcasing amazing gardens, landscaping and other outdoor features,” according to South Buffalo Alive’s Marge Ryan.

Tours begin at Tim Russert’s Children’s Garden located at 2002 South Park Ave., between Choate and Whitfield avenues and next to the Dudley Library. Participants are encouraged to make this their first stop, where they will receive a tour brochure and information to make the tour very simple to follow.

Premier Promotions of WNY is pleased to announce it will bring its nationally acclaimed spring and holiday artisan markets to the Roc Dome Arena in Rochester in 2018! The Spring Artisan Market will be held April 13-15, while Christmas in the Country-Rochester will be held Nov. 9-11.

“We are very excited to be bringing our events to the Rochester area,” said Dan Kaczynski of Premier Promotions. “The Roc Dome is a world-class facility now after having undergone a complete renovation recently. It is conveniently located, parking is abundant and the facility is beautiful. We have always targeted patrons from the Rochester area with our other events, and now we get the opportunity to bring this experience directly to them.”

The events promise to be shopping experiences, designed to engage patrons of every interest on multiple levels.

York State Senators Chris Jacobs and Michael Ranzenhofer, AAA Western and Central New York, New York State Police and AT&T teamed up to raise awareness for AAA’s 100 Deadliest Days (the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when teen crash fatalities historically climb 15 percent compared to the rest of the year), as well as AT&T’s “It Can Wait” public education campaign and NYS distracted driving laws.

Distracted Driving Awareness Day in Western New York was hosted June 1 at AAA WCNY headquarters, where young drivers, parents and all those who visited the Amherst AAA were educated about the dangers of distracted driving.

The popular Elmwood Village Farmers Market, featuring nearly 40 vendors selling fresh, seasonal and local produce and products, continues on Saturday, June 3, at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bidwell Parkway in Buffalo’s historic Elmwood Village. Hours at the open-air market, a program of the Elmwood Village Association, are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, rain or shine, through November.

Beginning June 3, the market is teaming up with HEAL Bflo to offer free weekly yoga classes from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturdays. Participants are asked to bring a yoga mat and a bottle of water. Classes will be offered on the east side of Elmwood Avenue, directly across the street from the weekly market.

Explore Buffalo, a nonprofit organization providing tours and other opportunities where guests can discover Buffalo’s great architecture, history and neighborhoods, has announced an extensive lineup of June events. The list includes all of your favorites, plus some new tours added this summer.

MASTERS OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTUREJune 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 • 10 a.m.Meet: Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo, corner of Washington and Mohawk streets. Two-hour metered parking is available on surrounding streets, and the Mohawk Parking Ramp is on the opposite corner. The Lafayette Square Station of the Metro Rail is around the corner on Main Street.Cost: General $15, Student $5, Explorer Pass Free